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Long Lovely Mittens

As the temperatures drop and the layers build up, wintertime apparel slowly claims our womanly physiques, sometimes making it a struggle to feel like a lady at all. A dash of red lipstick can do wonders, but the best way to fight off that down-coat-yeti look? Beautiful accessories! A soft cabled hat, a brilliantly colored wrap, or my answer this season, these Long Lovely Mittens.

Reaching just shy of the elbow, the mere gesture required to slip on these mittens suggests a certain elegance. Purl Soho’s newest merino yarn, Line Weight, is perfect for this pared-down design. The stockinette fabric is incredibly soft to the touch, and it emits a gentle glow that is just right for winter’s harsh reality.

Pair these Long Lovely Mittens with anything. Even if they get buried under all those layers, having them on will definitely add an extra swing to your step. -Laura

PS: These require just one skein of Line Weight, a perfect holiday gift knit!

Materials

1 skein of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino wool. This is the color Ballet Pink

Finish Thumb

Slip the 19 (21) stitches that are on hold onto two double pointed needles.

Hold the mitten so that the gusset is on the left; join yarn leaving a 10-inch tail.

Knit 8 stitches from the front needle. With another double pointed needle, knit the remaining stitches from that front needle and then knit from the back needle until there are 8 stitches on the working needle. With yet another double pointed needle, knit the remaining stitches from that back needle and then pick up 3 stitches from the base of the thumb. [22 (24) stitches]

Place marker and join for working in the round.

Work in stockinette stitch until piece measures 2 inches from the base of the thumb (where you picked up the 3 stitches) or until 1/8 inch from desired finished length.

Just ordered some of the line weight yarn, and it is quickly growing on me. Am new to knitting, and this was my first experience with yarn of this type. In the beginning, it felt as though I was knitting with tooth picks and dental floss. However, the further I go, the better it gets. So soft.

"With the larger needles, cast 54 (62) stitches onto three double pointed needles." This read to me at first as if i ought to be casting onto three double pointed needles held together, which is clearly not the case. It makes more sense to instruct to cast on with larger needles, then join in the round, distributing the stitches evenly over three DPNs, being careful not to twist.

Marilyn, Anzula's Could would be so very lovely for this pattern. It is going to feel a bit thinner while you're working it, but that 10% of cashmere should bloom beautifully, filling them out a bit. Let us know how they end up!Laura

Hi Es,Unfortunately right now we only have these mittens in adult sizes. I appreciate your request though and hopefully this fall / winter we will be able to resize these for kids.

If they were worked at a larger gauge, I would suggest finding a smaller yarn and following the pattern as is. But since the are already in such a fine yarn, I don't have any quick fixes for modifying the pattern.

Please stayed tuned and thank you again for the interest. We will try and get some kids mittens up on the blog soon!Laura

Hi… So I am part way through knitting these mittens ( a version that is shorter) as a holiday gift (early) I have just finished the thumb gusset and I slipped it on my hand to see how it was looking and… It’s HUGE. so I checked my gauge and The gauge is actually smaller than the recommended. (6 sts to every inch) which is Okayish but shouldn’t that mean the mitten is smaller? (Sorry if this contains some sort of blunt mistake) Thanks for your time!

Your gauge is actually much bigger than the gauge of this pattern. The pattern’s gauge is 8 1/2 stitches per inch and the cast on (for the smaller size) is 54 stitches. 54 stitches divided by 8 1/2 stitches per inch will yield a mitten with a (roughly) 6 1/2 inch circumference. Now let’s plug in your gauge: If you cast on 54 stitches at 6 stitches per inch (54/ 6) you will get a mitten with a 9 inch circumference!

It’s really important to get a precise gauge when you are making something like this that needs to fit. The needle size is just a recommendation, you should always use whatever size needle you need to get the gauge. Personally I usually go down 2 needle sizes because I am a loose knitter (which it sounds like you are too!) So I would recommend ripping the mitten out and experimenting with smaller needle sizes until you get to the 8 1/2 stitch gauge.

Thanks so much for getting in touch and please let us know if you have any more questions!

AH I see thanks you for explaining how gauge works. I needed that. I am actually using size 1.5 (US) needles I know I’m a bit loose so I figured a smaller needle wouldn’t be too bad… though I kinda hate gauging (I understand I am not alone in this?) So I will try to modify the number of stitches cast on to get the right measure with my gauge? Good idea? Horrible Idea?
By the way thank you guys for being so AWESOME and replying so fast

For something like a scarf this would be a good idea but for something like a mitten which has to fit precisely I’m afraid it won’t work without altering the pattern significantly. You have to keep in mind that you would also have to adjust for the thumb, which isn’t as simple of a calculation (since you will have to shape the thumb gusset.) So unless you have a lot of experience re-writing patterns I wouldn’t suggest you try this pattern with such a different gauge.

You are certainly not alone in disliking making a gauge swatch! But unfortunately it’s unavoidable if you want to make something like a mitten, hat, or sweater that needs to fit correctly. Sorry! I don’t like doing it either but I always regret it when I don’t!

Laura,
I have had a pretty tough year that started last November . I have been to the doctor more than I can count and in and out of the Hospital. They know what is happening to my body but not why. I have not kept up with my email at all and now have over 5000 notes to read. This morning way early, (3 A.M.), I woke my husband from a nightmare and then couldn’t get back to sleep. I finally got up and started going through emails. Then I got to yours from yesterday. Actually I don’t know if you had one yesterday. What I did do was start exploring the “new look”. There were so many things in knitting that I had not seen before. Most likely because they are buried in back pages of mail yet to be read, as I would never delete anything from Purl Soho. I kept on looking at pattern after pattern that caught my eye, because now you have these beautiful pictures. I haven’t even gotten out of knitting yet! Laura, what I wanted to tell you especially is… I’m a recent knitter. My mother handed me a prepared embroidery hoop and a floss threaded needle at the age of four. I’ve been doing needlework ever since. She taught me how to sew on a machine the summer after first grade making a terry cloth swim suit cover up, yes terry cloth. She didn’t want me to get lazy and not pay attention. When I sewed up a seam it had better have been right. I can tat. I do quilling. I smocked my children look-alike outfits for Christmas, Easter, and each of their birthdays until we finally looked at our son at the age of 7 1/2 at his sister’s 9th birthday and said this is your last smocked outfit. He still wanted them but we felt he was just too old to wear them. This was 28 years ago. I have also done some needle felting and other crafts. I just don’t feel comfortable with my knitting yet though I’ve been doing it for 3 years. The thought of a sweater gives me chills. Looking through your posts I feel like I can do something other than washcloths, simple cowls, simple shawls and simple scarves. My husband only gets paid once a month, but I intend to be buying this yarn in November to make my first thing out of the box so to speak. It will have curves and a thumb because you have explained it so well that I know I can do it. Thank you so much Laura!

TerriSue.
I cannot express to you how touching your message is. It bring all of us here on the Purl Bee team and at Purl Soho great joy to hear of your experience with our site. We all wish you the best, health and happiness and of course… loads of crafting time! And of course, please reach out to us with any knitting questions that may arise. It sounds like with your background in needlecrafts you’ll be making sweaters in no time!
Thank you for sharing with us.
It means more than we can say in words.
Sincerely,
Laura (and then entire Purl Soho company)

Gosh. I just love this pattern. I am knitting it with Shepherd’s Wool worsted spun fine Merino wool. It is gorgeous. I will also order the recommended Line Weight yarn and make a second pair … and more. Thanks for sharing this wonderful pattern!

I made a second pair of these in Gray Fig. The first pair I knitted where size large, way to big. The second I made in small/medium fit just right! I love them! I can’t wait to make another pair! I purchase my yarn on line. I do go to many places to check the color of the Purl Soho yarns. If a slight description of the color was added to the site, it would make making a color choice so much easier!

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